Red eyes
by Himmeh
Summary: U.A. "Imagination Forest". Keyshipping.


**1**- Ann, thanks a lot!

**2**- YGO Zexal is not mine!

**3**- Credits: the music "Imagination Forest", IA.

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The wind blew gently, moving the leaves from the ground, making a path through the forest full of big trees, animals and flowers.

It was a beautiful place where anyone could hear a brook in the distance. The sun bathed every corner that its rays could reach, making the landscape even more bucolic. And on top of a hill in the midst of some flowers and grass was a house. The construction was simple, made of wood. Some vines growing on the walls, giving the impression that the place was abandoned.

The house was divided into a living room, two bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom, ideal for a family to live. However, only one person lived there.

A boy of about twelve years was sitting in a chair, leaning on the one table of room, browsing a book.

Illustrations were reflected in the eyes of unusual color of the boy, showing enormous dragons, beasts with huge fangs, telling a fable. Apparently the princess of the kingdom had been kidnapped, and now needed the help of some strong and fearless knight able to save her from the beasts that kept her trapped in a tower.

Actually, that was already the fifth time that the boy read this story in the same week, getting lost in that fantasy world printed on the pages of the book.

After reaching the last picture, seeing that the princess had been rescued by a man, the boy closed the book, putting it back on the shelf where other works were kept.

Yuma let out a short sigh, walking to the huge window that left the outside light enter.

It was a beautiful day, and any normal child would be tempted to go play outside. Yuma envied them.

They had a mother who would prepare lunch for when they returned after the play, would give love, would take care of any injury which by chance they had arranged. They had a father, who would not refuse to play with his children, laugh at funny situations, teach valuable lessons... They had a family that would give them unconditional love and support, and Yuma did not have it. Not anymore.

Not that the boy complained, in fact he wore a smile on his face and refused to weaken. Despite his young age, he was extremely strong emotionally.

The boy raised his head, staring at the sun. Something inside him shifted, and a great hope grew inside his chest.

Running to his room, Yuma grabbed his coat red, wearing it. It was time to leave to the forest and go looking for what he considered most important.

Facing the sun of noon, a small figure walked across the lawn, going into the forest, over the brook, covering more than five hundred meters. During the entire path Yuma paid attention to his surroundings, looking for something that were not trees, animals or stones. As always, he came home alone, sometimes bringing some fruit, but nothing more.

The routine of the boy was resumed in: housekeeping, read books, play alone and walk through the wood looking for something.

The days were running slowly, bringing holidays as Christmas, Easter, Halloween ... And Yuma was alone in all of them.

It might seem a solitary life, but the boy endured the loneliness in the company of his books and artifacts found by his parents, which were stacked in the corner. But what kept him happy and willing to continue living was the hope that, someday, eventually getting what he wanted the most: the return of his parents. So he walked in the woods every day, looking for them.

He was sure that one day their parents would appear again after so many years missing, and Yuma would hug them, tell how he had managed to survive despite not having the help of someone, and they would be very proud.

The time wore on, bringing the days, weeks, months ... And the boy was still reading his books alone.

That afternoon in particular, Yuma was reading a story about dueling monsters. Turning the last page, the boy left the book on the table, going over to the bookcase, looking for something he did not know all the lines memorized. In a corner, covered with dust, was a work of very few pages. Curious, the boy took the book, blowing the cover, seeing that it was a fairy tale, so old that some pages were unglued.

Yuma knew that story... Was a hideous monster with red eyes that could not get close to anyone because if someone looked in its eyes, would turn to stone.

He hated that book, because it was telling his own story.

His crimson eyes started to glow because of a few tears.

It was like a curse. Those of his family had had the misfortune to fall into the hands of fate and ended up suffering from this situation, because some of the clan Tsukumo born with red eyes, the color of sin, and because of this they can never look at normal people, they were treated as aberrations and get stuck forever, keeping others safe from the curse that could turn them into stones.

Yuma had never really accepted his fate, always wishing to go out and talk to someone, but nobody dared to approach, and eventually the boy won the nickname: "Beast of red eyes." At the insistence of Yuma, his parents had moved to a location further away, into the forest, where the wooden house was.

And as much as Yuma had learned the lesson and stayed within the limits of the forest, even though it seemed that now he could have a quiet life out of trouble, the boy's parents disappeared on a beautiful day.

- "But they will return."

**~xxxx*xxxx~**

Walking through the woods, Yuma was returning home after having gone to look for his parents. Again nothing was found, but the boy was smiling, eating a fruit harvested along the way.

When he could see the roof of his home, the boy's feet stood frozen in place.

Right in front of the door was a person. Of flesh and blood. Breathing.

Tsukumo's heart started beating fast, desperate. That was the first time in a long time that he saw someone. The villagers always avoided to go into the forest, so...

The young man knocked on the door, and the noise echoed through the ears of Yuma, who started to cold sweat.

Why was he there? Does he was planning something?

Hidden among the foliage, the red eyed tracked the movements of the other, noticing his arms crossed, spiked hair and extremely white skin.

Yuma needed to do something, take some action!

With the fingertips, the boy put the hood of his jacket, covering his eyes, just getting to see the ground. After searching a bit he picked a piece of wood, which was brandished as a sword.

Swallowing all the fear, the teen came out of his hiding place, approaching to the young man, pointing the wood against him, managing to only see his feet.

- Who are you? What do you want? - Yuma's voice was strong and trembling.

Silence followed, and the stranger just turned to the boy.

- ... Astral - he said simply, staying in place - You are the "beast of red eyes"? - Astral asked in a neutral tone, and this only angered Yuma, who felt offended by the nickname.

- I'll ask again: what do you want?

- I want to see your eyes.

The response crossed all the Yuma's courage, which eventually wavered, losing the fight pose, loosening his hands around the sword.

During all his life he had been instructed to never look for someone, and now a stranger asked to see his eyes...

- B-but ... You'll turn to stone if I...

- I will not.

Astral approached, holding Yuma's hands, and then he held the hood and pulled it, revealing red eyes, large and precious as rubies.

- See? I haven't turned into stone.

Yuma could not speak. He was so surprised, shocked, confused ... He could barely think.

Astral only held the boy's hand, making him drop the sword on the ground.

- H-how ... You're supposed to have...

The spiky-haired young man pointed to one of their own eyes. As white as the snow that falls in the winter months, something that caught Yuma's attention.

- This was done to prevent me becoming a rock - then pointed the other eye, a bright golden, almost magical - and this served to seek until I find you.

Yuma remained quiet, trying to understand.

That guy was looking for him...? But for what reason...?

Had the attention caught by Astral's hand, which slipped to a key-shaped pendant made of gold.

- This was given to me years ago by a man named Kazuma - explained, seeing as the expression of the teen changed according to his words – I came to deliver it to you.

- ... My father sent you...? – asked the boy holding the pendant in his fingers when it was given to him - And where is he? Where is my father?

- I do not know - Astral saw the disappointment in the red eyes.

A long silence ensued, being broken only by the sound of wind blowing in the leaves.

- So... Are you going away? - Yuma finally said, in fact hoping that Astral can stay there. Because he was the only one who could face him and not fear his presence, the boy found himself wishing his company, if only for a few more minutes, though it seemed impossible... For what reason Astral still there, within a forest, away from everything and everyone?

- As I said, my left eye was made to find you. Now that I did it, why should I let you?

Again Yuma had to think a little.

- Will you stay here?

The young man nodded, and before the boy could ask something he approached, placing his hand on Yuma's cheek, forcing eye contact.

- My mission in this world is take care of you, Yuma. It took me a long time to get here, but now I can finally do it...

With these words Yuma's fate was changed to a much more cheerful and fun, full of good and bad emotions, but arguably better, because now he had the company of someone.

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Please review! o/


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